Intraocular lens having input and output electronics

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods involving an intraocular implant with input and/or output electronics are described. In some embodiments, the system includes an intraocular lens having at least one optic operably coupled to a haptic, one or more input electronics on the haptic and/or the optic; and one or more output electronics on the haptic and/or the optic for receiving and/or transmitting data.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit as a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 16/422,747 filed on May 24, 2019, which in turnclaims the benefit as a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/593,200 filed on May 11, 2017, which in turn claims the benefit as acontinuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/553,900 filed on Nov. 25,2014, which in turn claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) as anonprovisional application of U.S. Prov. Pat. App. No. 61/909,257 filedon Nov. 26, 2013. Each of the foregoing priority applications are herebyincorporated by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND Field of the Invention

The invention is directed, in some aspects, to a device implantable inor on the body, such as an intraocular device that includes one or moreinput or output electronics.

Description of the Related Art

External wearable devices are known such as Google Glass®, which includea computing system, camera, and a display, such as described in U.S.Pub. No. 2013/0044042 A1. Also known in the art are sensing contactlenses capable of noninvasively measuring intraocular pressure, such asdescribed in Leonardi et al., Inv. Opthal. Vis. Sci. September 2004,vol. 45 No. 9; as well as intraocular physiologic sensors, as describedin U.S. Pub. No. 2013/0090534 A1. All of the references disclosed hereinare hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

What is needed is a convenient, long-term implant, such as anintraocular lens, that is comfortable and not noticeable to the patientafter implantation, not externally visible and thus private, and that isconfigurable with any number of input and output electronics, such asdisplays, cameras, GPS, RFID, and the like, for a wide variety ofindications, including facilitating health, safety, knowledge, andcommunication, for example.

SUMMARY

Disclosed herein is an implantable intraocular lens, including an optic;a haptic operably connected to the optic; a camera operably attached tothe haptic; a power source operably attached to the haptic; a display onthe optic; and a communications module configured to wirelessly transmitand receive information with respect to an external device. The lenscould be, in some cases, a pseudophakic lens, an accommodating lens, ora phakic lens. In some embodiments, the lens could include a pluralityof optics. The camera could include a video camera. The display couldinclude LED, OLED, or other technology. The display could be centered onthe optic, or off-center on the optic. The system could also include,for example, tracking elements, such as a GPS chip and/or RFID chip. Thecommunications module could include any appropriate technology basedupon the desired clinical result, such as cellular of 802.11 technology.The power source can be wirelessly rechargeable via an external sourcein some cases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustrating an intraocular lens with variousinput and output electronics thereon, according to some embodiments ofthe invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a system for receiving,transmitting, and displaying data, according to some embodiments of theinvention.

FIG. 3 is a plan drawing of a human eye having an implanted intraocularlens in an accommodative “near” state, that can have electronics orother features as disclosed herein according to some embodiments of theinvention.

FIG. 4 is a plan drawing of the human eye of FIG. 3 , in anaccommodative “far” state.

FIG. 5 is an end-on plan drawing of the intraocular lens shown in FIGS.3 and 4 , in an accommodative “near” state.

FIG. 6 is an end-on plan drawing of the intraocular lens of FIG. 5 , inan accommodative “far” state.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional drawing of an intraocular lens that can haveelectronics or other features as disclosed herein according to someembodiments of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional drawing of another embodiment of anintraocular lens that can have electronics or other features asdisclosed herein according to some embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective drawing of the intraocular lens of FIG. 6 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Systems and methods involving an intraocular implant with input and/oroutput electronics will now be described. In some embodiments, thesystem includes an intraocular lens having at least one optic operablycoupled to a haptic, one or more input electronics on the haptic and/orthe optic; and one or more output electronics on the haptic and/or theoptic for receiving and/or transmitting data. FIG. 1 schematicallyillustrates an intraocular lens 10 having an optic 12 and a haptic 14operably connected to the optic 12. Shown is a display 16 on the optic,configured to display an image to the patient. Shown on the haptic 14 isa camera 18, processor 20, communications module 22 (e.g., transmittingand/or receiving antennas), and sensors, e.g., location module (e.g., aGPS) 24, all with a wired or wireless connection to one or more powersource(s) 26.

Further non-limiting possible features that can be used or modified foruse with the system and method are described below.

Input and Output Electronics

As noted above, FIG. 1 illustrates an example system 100 for receiving,transmitting, and displaying data. The system 100 is shown in the formof an intraocular implant, such as an implantable intraocular lens.While FIG. 1 illustrates an intraocular lens as an example of animplantable computing device, other types of intraocular implants couldadditionally or alternatively be used. In some embodiments, the implantneed not necessarily be intraocular, and instead be at another anatomiclocation, such as, for example, the back of the head which is not in aperson's normal field of vision if looking straight ahead, or attachedto an extremity, for example.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 above, the intraocular lens includes an opticcomponent and a haptic component. All or part of the haptic may beformed of a solid biocompatible structure of plastic and/or metal, ormay be formed of a hollow structure of similar material so as to allowwiring and component interconnects to be internally routed through thehaptic. Other materials may be possible as well.

The one or more optics, or display section on the optic may be formed ofany material that can suitably display a projected image or graphic. Theoptic can be preferably sufficiently transparent to allow a user to seethrough the optic. Combining these two features of the optic mayfacilitate an augmented reality or heads-up display where the projectedimage or graphic is superimposed over a real-world view as perceived bythe user through the lens.

As noted above in reference to FIG. 1 , the system 100 may also includean on-board computing system 200, a still or video camera 180, and/or asensor 240. The on-board computing system 200 is shown to be positionedon the haptic 140, such as a distal or posterior portion of the haptic140, for example; however, the on-board computing system 200 may beprovided on other parts of the haptic 140 or may be positioned remotefrom the intraocular implant 100 (e.g., the on-board computing system200 could be implanted in another anatomic location inside or outside ofthe orbit, or even be external to the body, wire- orwirelessly-connected to the intraocular implant 100). The on-boardcomputing system 200 may include a processor and memory, for example,and graphics, motion, or other co-processors, for example. The on-boardcomputing system 200 may be configured to receive and analyze data fromthe video camera 180 (and possibly from other sensory devices, userinterfaces, or both) and generate images for output on the optic 120.

The video camera 180 is shown positioned on the haptic 140; however, thevideo camera 180 may be provided on other parts of the intraoculardevice 102. The video camera 180 may be configured to capture images atvarious resolutions or at different frame rates. Many video cameras witha small form-factor, such as those used in cell phones or webcams, forexample, may be incorporated into an example of the system 100.

Further, although FIG. 1 illustrates one video camera 180, more videocameras may be used, and each may be configured to capture the sameview, or to capture different views. For example, the video camera 180may be forward facing to capture at least a portion of the real-worldview perceived by the user. This forward facing image captured by thevideo camera 180 may then be used to generate an augmented reality wherecomputer generated images appear to interact with the real-world viewperceived by the user. In some embodiments, the video camera could beconfigured for night vision, to detect infrared, x-rays, or other formsof radiation that may or may not be normally visible to the human eyes.In some embodiments, this may be advantageous for medical, security, ormilitary applications, for example. The video can also be transmittedand streamed to and/or saved to a storage medium on an external device.In some embodiments, the system could also include an audio-captureelement, such as one or more microphones for example to capture audioinput.

The one, two, or more sensors 240 are shown on the haptic 120 portion ofthe device 100; however, the sensor 240 may be positioned on other partsof the intraocular device 100. The sensor 240 may include one or more ofa gyroscope, an accelerometer, GPS, RFID, physiologic sensors,piezo-electric crystal sensors, and the like, for example. Other sensingdevices may be included within, or in addition to, the sensor 240 orother sensing functions may be performed by the sensor 240. The GPSlocator and/or RFID or other device could allow, for example, athird-party healthcare provider or emergency responder to locate thepatient with the implanted lens in the event of a medical emergencycommunicated to such provider or responder from the lens via wirelesstechnology on the lens itself and/or an external device, such as alaptop computer, smartphone or smart watch.

In some embodiments, the optic may act as a display element. Theintraocular device may include a first projector coupled to a surface ofthe haptic and configured to project a display 160 onto a surface of theoptic 120. In some embodiments, instead of or in addition to a display,an optically clear aperture can be present with an optical sphericalpower.

In alternative embodiments, other types of display elements may also beused. For example, the optic(s) 120 themselves may include: atransparent or semi-transparent matrix display, such as anelectroluminescent display or a liquid crystal display, one or morewaveguides for delivering an image, or other optical elements capable ofdelivering an in focus image to the user. A corresponding display drivermay be disposed within the haptic 140 for driving such a matrix display.Alternatively or additionally, a laser or LED source and scanning systemcould be used to draw a raster display directly onto the retina of oneor more of the user's eyes. Other possibilities exist as well.

In some embodiments, an intraocular computing device may include asingle display which may be coupled to the device. The display may beformed on one of the optics of the intraocular computing device, such asa lens element described herein, and may be configured to overlaycomputer-generated graphics in the user's view of the physical world.The display can be provided in a center of a lens of the implantabledevice, however, the display may be provided in other positions, such asmedially or laterally, and/or anteriorly or posteriorly offset. Thedisplay can be controllable via the computing system that is coupled tothe display via, for example, an optical waveguide.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic drawing of an example computer networkinfrastructure. In system 300, a device 310 communicates using acommunication link 320 (e.g., a wired or wireless connection) to aremote device 330. The device 310 may be any type of device that canreceive data and display information corresponding to or associated withthe data. For example, the device 310 may be a heads-up display system,or any of the implantable devices described with reference elsewhereherein.

Thus, the device 310 may include a display system 312 comprising aprocessor 314 and a display 316. The display 310 may be, for example, anoptical see-through display, an optical see-around display, or a videosee-through display. The processor 314 may receive data from the remotedevice 330, and configure the data for display on the display 316. Theprocessor 314 may be any type of processor, such as a micro-processor ora digital signal processor, for example.

The device 310 may further include on-board data storage, such as memory318 coupled to the processor 314. The memory 318 may store software thatcan be accessed and executed by the processor 314, for example.

The remote device 330 may be any type of computing device or transmitterincluding a desktop or laptop computer, a mobile telephone, tabletcomputing device, smartwatch, etc., that is configured to transmit datato the device 310. The remote device 330 and the device 310 may containhardware to enable the communication link 320, such as processors,transmitters, receivers, antennas, etc.

In FIG. 2 , the communication link 320 is illustrated as a wirelessconnection; however, wired connections may also be used. For example,the communication link 320 may be a wired serial bus such as a universalserial bus or a parallel bus. A wired connection may be a proprietaryconnection as well. The communication link 320 may also be a wirelessconnection using, e.g., Bluetooth® radio technology, communicationprotocols described in IEEE 802.11 (including any IEEE 802.11revisions), Cellular technology (such as GSM, CDMA, UMTS, EVDO, WiMAX,or LTE), or Zigbee® technology, among other possibilities. The remotedevice 330 may be accessible via the Internet and may include acomputing cluster associated with a particular web service (e.g.,social-networking, photo sharing, address book, etc.).

In some embodiments, if intraocular implants with electronics asdescribed herein, such as IOLs, are implanted bilaterally, theelectronics can be configured such that both eyes see the same imagedisplay, or different image displays.

In some embodiments, the electronics can respond to input, such as theamount of light that reaches the camera or sensor proximate the lens forexample. For example, if a patient closes their eyes for a predeterminedperiod of time, for example, this could trigger a lock or sleep feature,e.g., via a light sensor detecting a lack of light, allowing a user totoggle the power for device 10 between on and off states. In otherembodiments, a pressure sensor on the device could detect, for example,a patient applying manual pressure over one or both eyes, using theirhands, for example, which could toggle the power for the device oractivate or deactivate some or all of the electronics.

Additional input structures can be included in the device. These caninclude a camera and one, two, or more sensors. The camera can be usedto take pictures or record a video at the user's discretion. The cameracan also be used by the device to obtain an image of the user's view ofhis or her environment to use in implementing augmented realityfunctionality. The sensor can be, for example a light sensor that can beused by firmware or software associated with the camera. The camera andsensor can be included in a housing positioned, for example, about thehaptic. Other locations for the camera and sensor are also possible.

Power Supply

The device can contain electronic circuitry and/or a power source, suchas a battery for device. This circuitry can include controls for thedisplay, the camera, the sensor, or other features. Additionally thehousing can include memory, a microprocessor or communications devices,such as cellular, short-range wireless (e.g. Bluetooth), or WiFicircuitry for connection to a remote device. The battery can, forexample, be a rechargeable battery such as a lithium-ion ornickel-cadmium battery and can be removable or can be permanent orsemi-permanent.

In some embodiments, some or all of the electronic components of theimplantable device are wholly or partially powered using a power sourcethat can convert material found in the human body into, for example,electrical power. For example, in some embodiments, the power source isan electrochemical fuel cell that produces electricity using glucosedissolved in blood, aqueous humor, or other body fluids. Thus, theglucose itself acts as a renewable fuel for powering the electronics. Incontrast, other electronics may be wholly dependent upon batteries or anexternal source for their power. Alternatively, some implantableelectronics rely upon external devices for power (e.g., for real-timeoperation using the externally-supplied power or to re-charge aninternal battery). For example, electronics may be externally poweredvia inductive coupling or RF energy from an external device.

Additional components can be included in device, such as additionalinputs, control circuitry boards, antennae or the like. The variouslocations in which these additional components are affixed to the hapticcan also be selected to allow for a predetermined weight distribution.

While various embodiments illustrating computing systems and componentsare described herein, it is recognized that the functionality providedfor in the components and modules of computing system may be combinedinto fewer components and modules or further separated into additionalcomponents and modules. Modules can include, by way of example,components, such as software components, object-oriented softwarecomponents, class components and task components, processes, functions,attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers,firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures,tables, arrays, and variables. Any modules can be executed by one ormore CPUs.

A software module may be compiled and linked into an executable program,installed in a dynamic link library, or may be written in an interpretedprogramming language such as, for example, BASIC, Perl, or Python. Itwill be appreciated that software modules may be callable from othermodules or from themselves, and/or may be invoked in response todetected events or interrupts. Software instructions may be embedded infirmware, such as an EPROM. It will be further appreciated that hardwaremodules may be comprised of connected logic units, such as gates andflip-flops, and/or may be comprised of programmable units, such asprogrammable gate arrays or processors. The modules described herein arepreferably implemented as software modules, but may be represented inhardware or firmware. Generally, the modules described herein refer tological modules that may be combined with other modules or divided intosub-modules despite their physical organization or storage. In addition,all the methods described herein may be executed as instructions on aCPU, and may result in the manipulation or transformation of data.

In some embodiments, hardware components of the system includes a CPU,which may include one, two, or more microprocessors. The system furtherincludes a memory, such as random access memory (“RAM”) for temporarystorage of information and a read only memory (“ROM”) for permanentstorage of information, and a mass storage device, such as a hard drive,flash drive, diskette, or optical media storage device, which can beexternal to the body in some cases.

Intraocular Implant

In some embodiments, as discussed above, an implantable intraoculardevice includes an intraocular lens. An intraocular lens can includeone, two, or more optic components and haptic components. Theintraocular lens could be, for example, a phakic or pseudophakicintraocular lens. A pseudophakic IOL could be desirable in a patienthaving a cataract for example, and could be a conventional oraccommodating IOL in some embodiments. Various non-limiting examples ofsome embodiments of lens features, such as optics and haptics, that canbe used with systems and methods of intraocular lens are describedbelow.

A human eye can suffer diseases that impair a patient's vision. Forinstance, a cataract may increase the opacity of the lens, causingblindness. To restore the patient's vision, the diseased lens may besurgically removed and replaced with an artificial lens, known as anintraocular lens, or IOL. An IOL may also be used for presbyopic lensexchange. In some cases, a phakic IOL, or PIOL can be inserted. A PIOLis a special kind of intraocular lens that is implanted surgically intothe eye to correct myopia (nearsightedness). They are called “phakic”because the eye's natural lens is left untouched. This is in contrast tointraocular lenses that are implanted into eyes after the eye's naturallens has been removed during cataract surgery.

The simplest IOLs have a single focal length, or, equivalently, a singlepower. Unlike the eye's natural lens, which can adjust its focal lengthwithin a particular range in a process known as accommodation, thesesingle focal length IOLs cannot accommodate. As a result, objects at aparticular position away from the eye appear in focus, while objects atan increasing distance away from that position appear increasinglyblurred.

In some embodiments, an IOL is configured to zoom in and/or out, such ason far-away objects for long distance viewing, through a liquid crystallens array or other means. In some embodiments, the lens can beconfigured for presbyopic correction (e.g., both multifocal and smallaperture correction).

An improvement over the single focal length IOLs is an accommodatingIOL, which can adjust its power within a particular range. Some examplesof accommodating IOLs are described in U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0296426 A1 toBrady et al., which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. Withaccommodating IOLs, the patient can clearly focus on objects in a rangeof distances away from the eye, rather than at a single distance. Thisability to accommodate is of benefit for some patients, and canpotentially more closely approximates the patient's natural vision thana single focal length IOL in some cases.

When the eye focuses on a relatively distant object, the lens power isat the low end of the accommodation range, which may be referred to asthe “far” power. When the eye focuses on a relatively close object, thelens power is at the high end of the accommodation range, which may bereferred to as the “near” power. The accommodation range itself isdefined as the near power minus the far power. In general, anaccommodation range of 4 diopters is considered sufficient for mostpatients.

The human eye contains a structure known as the capsular bag, whichsurrounds the natural lens. The capsular bag is transparent, and servesto hold the lens. In the natural eye, accommodation is initiated by aseries of zonular fibers, also known as zonules. The zonules are locatedin a relatively thick band mostly around the equator of the lens, andimpart a largely radial force to the capsular bag that can alter theshape and/or the location of the natural lens and thereby change itspower.

In a typical surgery in which the natural lens is removed from the eye,the lens material is typically broken up and vacuumed out of the eye,but the capsular bag is left intact. The remaining capsular bag isextremely useful for an accommodating intraocular lens, in that theeye's natural accommodation is initiated at least in part by the zonulesthrough the capsular bag. The capsular bag may be used to house anaccommodating IOL, which in turn can change shape and/or shift in somemanner to affect the power and/or the axial location of the image.

The IOL has an optic, which refracts light that passes through it andforms an image on the retina, and a haptic, which is a structure thatmechanically couples the optic to the capsular bag. Duringaccommodation, the zonules exert a force on the capsular bag, which inturn exerts a force on the optic. The force may be transmitted from thecapsular bag directly to the optic, or from the capsular bag through thehaptic to the optic.

A desirable optic, in some cases, for an accommodating IOL is one thatdistorts in response to a squeezing or expanding radial force applied tothe equator of the optic (e.g., by pushing or pulling on the edge of theoptic, circumferentially around the optic axis). Under the influence ofa squeezing force, the optic bulges slightly in the axial direction,producing more steeply curved anterior and/or posterior faces, andproducing an increase in the power of the optic. Likewise, an expandingradial force produces a decrease in the optic power by flattening theoptic. This change in power is accomplished in a manner similar to thatof the natural eye and is well adapted to accommodation. Furthermore,this method of changing the lens power reduces any undesirable pressuresexerted on some of the structures in the eye.

The optic can be coupled with a suitable haptic to couple the optic tothe capsular bag. The haptic can permit diametric (or, equivalently,radial) motion of the optic by coupling the force exerted by thecapsular bag to the edge of the optic. Some other haptic designs aredisclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2005/0131535 to Woods,which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Hapticdesigns can also be used with other IOL styles. U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,623to Sarfarazi, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety,discloses a lens that uses a pair of optics and a flexible haptic thatresponds to the forces of the capsular bag by changing the separationbetween the optics. As yet another example, U.S. Pat. Pub. No.2004/0181279 to Nun, which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety, discloses a lens that has an optic located between a rigidhaptic and the posterior wall of the capsular bag. Accordingly, in somecases there exists a need for an intraocular lens with a haptic thatpermits diametric motion of the optic by efficiently coupling the forceexerted by the capsular bag and zonules to the edge of the optic. Such ahaptic would enable use of a desirable style of optic, which changes itspower (e.g., radius of curvature, shape and/or thickness) in response toa squeezing or expanding force applied radially to its edge.

In a healthy human eye, the natural lens is housed in a structure knownas the capsular bag. The capsular bag is driven by zonular fibers (alsoknown as zonules) in the eye, which can compress and/or pull on thecapsular bag to change its shape. The motions of the capsular bagdistort the natural lens in order to change its power and/or thelocation of the image, so that the eye can focus on objects at varyingdistances away from the eye in a process known as accommodation.

For some people suffering from cataracts, the natural lens of the eyebecomes clouded or opaque. If left untreated, the vision of the eyebecomes degraded and blindness can occur in the eye. A standardtreatment is surgery, during which the natural lens is broken up,removed, and replaced with a manufactured intraocular lens. Typically,the capsular bag is left intact in the eye, so that it may house theimplanted intraocular lens.

Because the capsular bag is capable of motion, initiated by the zonules,it is desirable that the implanted intraocular lens change its powerand/or the location of the image in a manner similar to that of thenatural lens. Such an accommodating lens may produce vastly improvedvision over a lens with a fixed power and location that does notaccommodate.

FIG. 3 shows a human eye 10, after an accommodating intraocular lensaccording to embodiments of the present invention has been implanted.Light enters from the left of FIG. 3 , and passes through the cornea 12,the anterior chamber 14, the iris 16, and enters the capsular bag 18.Prior to surgery, the natural lens occupied essentially the entireinterior of the capsular bag 18. After surgery, the capsular bag 18houses the intraocular lens, in addition to a fluid that occupies theremaining volume and equalizes the pressure in the eye. The intraocularlens is described in more detail below. After passing through theintraocular lens, light exits the posterior wall 20 of the capsular bag18, passes through the posterior chamber 32, and strikes the retina 22,which detects the light and converts it to a signal transmitted throughthe optic nerve 24 to the brain.

A well-corrected eye forms an image at the retina 22. If the lens hastoo much or too little power, the image shifts axially along the opticalaxis away from the retina, toward or away from the lens. Note that thepower required to focus on a close or near object is more than the powerrequired to focus on a distant or far object. The difference between the“near” and “far” powers is known typically as the range ofaccommodation. A normal range of accommodation is about 4 diopters,which is considered sufficient for most patients, although as low as 1or 2 diopters may be acceptable, and in some instances between about 4diopters and about 10 diopters or more may be useful. Embodiments of thepresent invention may produce accommodation within this entire range, oras low as 1 diopter, with a preferable range of accommodation betweenabout 2 diopters and about 6 diopters, and more preferably about 4diopters (for example, 3-5 diopters, 3.5-4.5 diopters, and so forth) ofaccommodation under normal zonular forces.

The capsular bag is acted upon by the zonules 26, which distort thecapsular bag 18 by compressing and/or stretching it radially in arelatively thick band about its equator. Experimentally, it is foundthat the zonules typically exert a total force of up to about 10 gramsof force, often in the range of between about 6 and about 9 grams offorce, which is distributed typically generally uniformly around theequator of the capsular bag 18. Although the range of zonule force mayvary from patient to patient, it should be noted that for each patient,the range of accommodation is limited by the total force that thezonules 26 can exert. Therefore, it is highly desirable that theintraocular lens be configured to vary its power over the full range ofaccommodation, in response to this limited range of forces exerted bythe zonules.

Because the zonules' force is limited, it is desirable to use a fairlythin lens, compared to the full thickness of the capsular bag. Ingeneral, a thin lens can distort more easily than a very thick one, andmay therefore convert the zonules force more efficiently into a changein power. In other words, for a relatively thin lens, a lower force isrequired to cover the full range of accommodation.

Note that there is an optimum thickness for the lens, which depends onthe diameter of the optic. If the lens is thinner than this optimumthickness, the axial stiffness becomes too high and the lens changespower less efficiently. In other words, if the edge thickness isdecreased below its optimal value, the amount of diopter power changefor a given force is decreased. For instance, for an optic having adiameter of 4.5 mm, an ideal edge thickness may be about 1.9 mm, withedge thicknesses between about 1.4 mm and about 2.4 having acceptableperformance as well. Alternately, optic diameters may be in a rangebetween about 4 mm and about 8 mm, and edge thicknesses may be in arange above about 0.2 mm.

Note that the lens may be designed so that its relaxed state is the“far” condition (sometimes referred to as “disaccommodative biased”),the “near” condition (“accommodative biased”), or some condition inbetween the two (“intermediate biased”).

The intraocular lens itself has two components: an optic 28, which ismade of a transparent, deformable and/or elastic material, and a haptic30, which holds the optic 28 in place and mechanically transfers forceson the capsular bag 18 to the optic 28. The haptic 30 may have anengagement member with a central recess that is sized to receive theperipheral edge of the optic 28.

When the eye 10 is focused on a relatively close object, as shown inFIG. 3 , the zonules 26 compress the capsular bag 18 in a relativelythick band about its equator. The capsular bag 18 changes shape,becoming thicker at its center and having more steeply curved sides. Asa result of this action, the power of the lens increases (e.g., one orboth of the radii of curvature can decrease, and/or the lens can becomethicker, and/or the lens may also move axially), placing the image ofthe relatively close object at the retina 22. Note that if the lenscould not accommodate, the image of the relatively close object would belocated behind the retina, and would appear blurred.

FIG. 4 shows a portion of an eye 40 that is focused on a relativelydistant object. The cornea 12 and anterior chamber 14 are typicallyunaffected by accommodation, and are identical to the correspondingelements in FIG. 3 . To focus on the distant object, the zonules 46retract and change the shape of the capsular bag 38, which becomesthinner at its center and has less steeply curved sides. This reducesthe lens power by flattening (e.g., lengthening radii of curvatureand/or thinning) the lens, placing the image of the relatively distantobject at the retina (not shown).

For embodiments as depicted for both the “near” case of FIG. 3 and the“far” case of FIG. 4 , the intraocular lens itself deforms and changesin response to the distortion of the capsular bag. For the “near”object, the haptic 30 compresses the optic 28 at its edge, increasingthe thickness of the optic 28 at its center and more steeply curving itsanterior face 27 and/or its posterior face 29. As a result, the lenspower increases. For the “far” object, the haptic 50 expands, pulling onthe optic 48 at its edge, and thereby decreasing the thickness of theoptic 48 at its center and less steeply curving (e.g., lengthening oneor both radius of curvature) its anterior face 47 and/or its posteriorface 49. As a result, the lens power decreases.

Note that the specific degrees of change in curvature of the anteriorand posterior faces depend on the nominal curvatures. Although theoptics 28 and 48 are drawn as bi-convex, they may also be plano-convex,meniscus or other lens shapes. In all of these cases, the optic iscompressed or expanded by essentially radial forces exerted primarily atthe edge of the optic. In addition, there may be some axial movement ofthe optic. In some embodiments, the haptic is configured to transfer thegenerally symmetric radial forces symmetrically to the optic to deformthe optic in a spherically symmetric way. However, in alternateembodiments the haptic is configured non-uniformally (e.g., havingdifferent material properties, thickness, dimensions, spacing, angles orcurvatures), to allow for non-uniform transfer of forces by the hapticto the optic. For example, this could be used to combat astigmatism,coma or other asymmetric aberrations of the eye/lens system. The opticsmay optionally have one or more diffractive elements, one or moremultifocal elements, and/or one or more aspheric elements.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show more explicitly the effects of these radial forces.FIG. 5 shows the intraocular lens 15 of FIG. 3 , in an end-on view. Theoptic 28 is supported by the haptic 30. The intraocular lens 15 isrelatively compressed radially, corresponding to the “near” condition ofFIG. 3 . Similarly, FIG. 6 shows the intraocular lens 35 of FIG. 4 in anend-on view, also with the optic 48 being surrounded by the haptic 50.Here, the intraocular lens 35 is relatively expanded radially,corresponding to the “far” condition of FIG. 4 .

Each haptic 30 and 50 can have several coupling elements 33 and 53. Eachcoupling element is substantially free to move radially, independentlyof the other coupling elements. As the capsular bag expands andcontracts, the coupling elements transmit the expansion and contractionto the optic itself, causing the optic to expand or contract radially.When the eye views a distant object, the radial forces cause the opticitself to be flatter and thinner than when viewing a close object. Insome embodiments, there may also be some axial movement of the optic,which axially translates the image onto the retina and thereby brings itinto focus for the eye. Any such axial travel will typically be ofsecondary importance to the change in power caused by the shape changeto the optic caused by the radial forces. The haptic material ispreferably stronger or stiffer than the optic material, so that thecapsular bag force is largely transmitted to the optic itself, ratherthan being absorbed by the haptic. Although 16 coupling elements areshown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , any suitable number of haptic elements may beused.

Note also that as drawn in FIGS. 3-6 , in some embodiments, there is nohaptic material between adjacent coupling elements. If there were asubstantial amount of haptic material between the coupling elements, theradial force would be largely absorbed by the haptic, rather thantransmitted to the optic. Alternatively, there may be some hapticmaterial between adjacent coupling elements, provided that it isrelatively thin if it is made from the same stiff or strong material asthe coupling elements. A thin membrane or coating of haptic materialbetween the coupling elements would work adequately, and would notimpede any diametric or radial motion of the optic. The membrane couldbe located symmetrically or asymmetrically along the longitudinal axisof the lens; the haptic may have an even distribution along thelongitudinal axis of the optic, or may have more material near theanterior side of the optic, for instance, or may have more material nearthe posterior side of the optic. Alternately, the membrane may be madein one piece with the coupling elements and may be located anywherealong the coupling elements (e.g., attached to the optic or not soattached, on either end of the coupling elements or somewhere in themiddle of the coupling elements). Alternatively, the membrane may bemade thicker if it is made from a softer material than that used for thehaptic. In general, a thin membrane would function adequately if it iscircumferentially compressible, e.g., if its size or circumference canincrease or decrease without buckling, warping, or crumpling. For thepurposes of this document, the terms circumferentially compressible andcircumferentially expandable are taken to mean the same thing.

As a further alternative, the thickness of the material between couplingelements may be increased if said material is weaker or less stiff thanthe material of the coupling elements themselves. This material may beuseful in distributing the haptic force more uniformly around thecircumference of the optic. Ultimately, any suitable haptic design maybe used, provided that the haptic permits diametric or radial alteration(e.g., change of shape in response to radial or diametric force from thehaptic) of the optic in response to the contraction or expansion of thecapsular bag.

Note that in FIG. 3 , the optic 28 is spatially separated from theposterior wall 20 of the capsular bag 18. In this case, the optic 28distorts in response to the radial forces applied to its edge by thehaptic 30, rather than in response to any longitudinal (or,equivalently, axial) forces applied to the anterior face 27 or posteriorface 29. As an alternative, the optic 28 may come into contact with theposterior wall 20 of the capsular bag 18 during part or all of theaccommodation range, and in doing so, may receive some longitudinalforces applied to its posterior face 29.

In. FIG. 3 , the haptic 30 interacts with thin portions of the opticnear the edge of the anterior face 27 and the posterior face 29 of theoptic. For the purposes of this document, these interactions may beconsidered to be with the edge of the optic if the forces exerted by thehaptic on the optic are essentially radial in nature, and if the thinportions are outside the clear aperture of the optic. Note that in FIGS.3 and 4 , the entire edge of the optic, from anterior to posterior, iscontacted by the haptic. Note also that for the purposes of thisdocument, the edge of the optic is intended to mean the peripheral edgeof the optic, which is the outermost edge of the optic that connects theanterior and posterior faces of the optic. The edge may be a surfaceperiphery as well.

FIG. 7 shows an alternate embodiment of an intraocular lens 55. The lenshas an optic 58, which is mechanically coupled to the capsular bag by ahaptic 59. Alternately, the haptic may actually be connected to thecapsular bag by fibrosis or surface treatments. As with the embodimentsof FIGS. 3-6 , the haptic 59 may have several coupling elements orfilaments, each of which couples the capsular bag radial force into theoptic 58 itself. As a result, the haptic permits diametric expansion andcontraction of the optic 58.

Unlike the embodiments of FIGS. 3-6 , in which the haptic has anengagement member with a central recess that receives the peripheraledge of the optic, the haptic 59 could have a planar member thatinteracts only with the edge of the optic 58. Note that the haptic 59extends from substantially the entire edge of the optic 58. It will beunderstood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various otherconfigurations may be used to form an interaction between the haptic andsubstantially the entire edge of the optic. Alternatively, the hapticcould extend over only a portion (either axially or circumferentially)of the edge of the optic, having asymmetries, discontinuities, and/or abias toward one side or the other.

Note that the haptic may optionally convert the capsular bag force to aradial torque, rather than transmit the force itself to the optic. Theequator of the optic may be axially separated from the region at whichthe capsular bag force is applied, thereby generating a torque. Such atorque affects the optic by changing its shape and/or axiallytranslating the optic.

In some embodiments, the coupling elements may all be connected on theanterior side of the haptic 69. Because it can, in some cases beundesirable to block the clear aperture of the optic, the anterior sideof the haptic may join the coupling elements in a ring 62 surroundingthe clear aperture.

Note that in the intraocular lens 65 of FIGS. 8 and 9 , a fairly rigidring 62 joining the coupling elements is acceptable, because it does notsurround the optic 68 and it does not impede any radial or diametricmotion of the optic. Here, the capsular bag radial force is stilldirected into radially compressing or expanding the optic 68, only nowit does it through a lever arm, with the fixed point on the lever beingthe anterior ring that joins the coupling elements. Alternately, thecoupling elements may connected by a broken ring that connects only someof the coupling elements.

FIG. 9 shows the haptic 69 connected to the optic 68, with an optionalmembrane 66 between the coupling elements 63. The membrane 66 may beconnected to the optic 68 everywhere between the coupling elements 63,or may be connected only in portions, or may be not connected at all inthe regions between the coupling elements 63. The membrane 66 mayoptionally be located between the coupling elements 63 and the optic 68at each element's connection point, or may be located in only theregions between adjacent coupling elements 63. The membrane may be madeas a single piece with the haptic or as a separate element. The membrane66 may be made of the same material as the haptic 69, with a smallenough thickness so that it does not impede any radial expansion orcompression of the optic 68 during accommodation. Alternatively, themembrane 66 may be made of a different (typically softer) material thanthe haptic 69. All of these embodiments could be applied equally to anembodiment as shown in FIG. 7 that does not have the ring 62.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 3-9 , the optic can be oriented on theposterior side of the capsular bag. The preference for a posterior opticis based on a number of factors, including, for example: avoidance orlimitation of retinal detachment, which is often more likely withanterior optics; avoidance of iris or anterior chamber complications;and prevention or limitation of posterior capsule opacification.Alternatively, the optic may be oriented on the anterior side of thecapsular bag, with the optional connecting ring located on the posteriorside of the haptic.

As a further alternative, two or more optics may be used, with one onthe anterior side and one on the posterior side of the haptic. As thecapsular bag expands or contracts, the haptic expands or contracts bothoptics simultaneously. If one optic is stiffer than the other, it couldact effectively as the fixed point on a lever arm, similar to the ring62 in FIG. 9 . Optionally, the separation between the two optics mayvary as well.

It is instructive to discuss the properties of some suitable materialsfor the haptic and the optic. In general, the optic should be a fairlysoft material, so that it can deform sufficiently under the limitedforce of the zonules. In general, the haptic should be a fairly hard orstiff material, so that the force from the zonules is transmittedefficiently to the optic. A useful quantity for comparison is theYoung's modulus of the materials. For the optic, a low Young's modulusis preferred, such as a value of 28 kpa or less. For the haptic, a highYoung's modulus is preferred, such as 1000 kpa or more. Typical hapticmaterials include, but are not limited to, silicone, acrylic, polyimide,PMMA, polyurethane or other biocompatible materials. Typical opticmaterials include, but are not limited to, silicone, acrylic, PMMA, andvarious suitable hydrogels.

The optic itself may be solid throughout, or may be a balloon structure.The optic may be generally soft throughout, or may have a thin, stifflayer on top of a soft structure. The optic may also be a multilayerstructure, or may contain multilayered elements.

The haptic may be made integral with the optic. For instance, the twomay be molded together. Alternatively, they may be manufacturedseparately and assembled. Some common assembly methods are silicone glueor adhesive, ultraviolet light-cured adhesive, or heat-cured adhesive.

Note that the haptic can be, in some embodiments, generally a filamentin nature, which is a fine or thinly spun thread, fiber, or wire. Thisfilamentary shape minimizes the mass of the haptic. Because the forcethat can be applied by the capsular bag is limited, and responsivenessto this force is highly desirable, it is also desirable to minimize themass of the haptic so that the eye can accommodate quickly. A lighthaptic tends to speed up the response of the eye, which is desirable.The haptic filaments (e.g., coupling elements) have essentially the samesize at each point along their length, so that the cross-section of eachfilament remains essentially uniform along its length. The filamentsthat form the coupling elements of the various embodiments describedabove will typically have two ends, one of which is coupled to theoptic, with a coupling portion between the two ends for engaging thecapsular bag and/or zonules. Note that the connecting ring mayoptionally have a different thickness than the filaments, and that oneor more filaments may have different thicknesses than other filaments.One or more of the filaments may be shaped to produce a bending in aparticular manner, as with a pre-bent or a memory-retaining material.

It is contemplated that various combinations or subcombinations of thespecific features and aspects of the embodiments disclosed above may bemade and still fall within one or more of the inventions. Further, thedisclosure herein of any particular feature, aspect, method, property,characteristic, quality, attribute, element, or the like in connectionwith an embodiment can be used in all other embodiments set forthherein. Accordingly, it should be understood that various features andaspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substitutedfor one another in order to form varying modes of the disclosedinventions. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the presentinventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the particulardisclosed embodiments described above. Moreover, while the invention issusceptible to various modifications, and alternative forms, specificexamples thereof have been shown in the drawings and are hereindescribed in detail. It should be understood, however, that theinvention is not to be limited to the particular forms or methodsdisclosed, but to the contrary, the invention is to cover allmodifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spiritand scope of the various embodiments described and the appended claims.Any methods disclosed herein need not be performed in the order recited.The methods disclosed herein include certain actions taken by apractitioner; however, they can also include any third-party instructionof those actions, either expressly or by implication. For example,actions such as “inserting an intraocular lens into the anteriorchamber” include “instructing the inserting of an intraocular lens intothe anterior chamber.” The ranges disclosed herein also encompass anyand all overlap, sub-ranges, and combinations thereof. Language such as“up to,” “at least,” “greater than,” “less than,” “between,” and thelike includes the number recited. Numbers preceded by a term such as“approximately”, “about”, and “substantially” as used herein include therecited numbers, and also represent an amount close to the stated amountthat still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. Forexample, the terms “approximately”, “about”, and “substantially” mayrefer to an amount that is within less than 10% of, within less than 5%of, within less than 1% of, within less than 0.1% of, and within lessthan 0.01% of the stated amount.

What is claimed is:
 1. An implantable intraocular lens, comprising: anoptic; a haptic operably connected to the optic; a camera operablyattached to the haptic; a power source operably attached to the haptic;a display on the optic; and a communications module configured towirelessly transmit and receive information with respect to an externaldevice.
 2. The implantable intraocular lens of claim 1, wherein the lensis a pseudophakic lens.
 3. The implantable intraocular lens of claim 1,wherein the lens is an accommodating lens.
 4. The implantableintraocular lens of claim 1, wherein the lens is a phakic lens.
 5. Theimplantable intraocular lens of claim 1, comprising a plurality ofoptics.
 6. The implantable intraocular lens of claim 1, wherein thecamera comprises a video camera.
 7. The implantable intraocular lens ofclaim 1, wherein the display comprises LED technology.
 8. Theimplantable intraocular lens of claim 1, wherein the display is centeredon the optic.
 9. The implantable intraocular lens of claim 1, whereinthe display is off-centered on the optic.
 10. The implantableintraocular lens of claim 1, further comprising a GPS chip.
 11. Theimplantable intraocular lens of claim 1, further comprising a RFID chip.12. The implantable intraocular lens of claim 1, wherein thecommunications module comprises cellular technology.
 13. The implantableintraocular lens of claim 1, wherein the communications module comprises802.11 technology.
 14. The implantable intraocular lens of claim 1,wherein the power source is wirelessly rechargeable via an externalsource.